Rocket motor hot ash extinguishing and cooling device



Feb. 2, 1954 J D CARLO 2,667,839

ROCKET MOTOR HOT ASH EX TINGUISHING AND COOLING DEVICE Filed Feb. 6, 1952 ,Invmvi'ar Jase ab J De Carlo Patented Feb. 2, 1954 ROCKET MOTOR HOT ASH EXTINGUISHING AND COOLING DEVICE Joseph James De Carlo, North Tarrytown, N. Y.

Application February 6, 1952, Serial No. 270,266

2 Claims. (Cl. 102-89) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952),

see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the act of April 30, 1928 (Ch. 460, 45 stat. L. 467).

My invention relates to the shooting of lifelines by means of a jet or rocket propelled projectile using a solid type propellent.

When such rockets are used, there is danger that the shell may still contain burning particles of powder or may be red-hot when it lands upon the deck of a wrecked ship or in the water surrounding it, and may thereupon ignite gasoline or other inflammable vapors or oil on the ships deck or floating n the water surrounding the ship.

The purpose of my invention is to equip such rockets with a means for expelling and extinguishing hot ash residue and for cooling the shell below the lowest temperature at which gasoline or other highly volatile inflammable liquids may be ignited.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a rocket propelled projectile equipped with a cylinder containing, under pressure, an inert gas which is releasably confined by a fusible plug.

Figure 2 is a detail section of an externally threaded hollow plug which has a hemispherical fusible closure.

Figure 3 is a view of the plug as seen from the right of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1, the rocket comprises a propellent barrel to provided with a jet nozzle i I, and a rocket filler plug l2.

A weighted rounded nose It is bolted to the rocket filler plug l2 by a holding screw M. A bridle harness is attached to two metal bridles I8 for two non-inflammable leaders IT to which a tow-line (not shown) is tied.

My improvement comprises an inert gas confining cylinder l 8 which fits within the propellent barrel Ill, and is closed by a screw threaded hollow plug l9 having a central hemispherical closure of suitable fusible metal or alloy. The discharge end of the cylinder 18 and the plug l9 are surrounded by an annular form fitting metal block 2!. A suitable powdered propellent charge 22 is compressed between the nozzle H and the block 2|. The closure 20 is provided with a retaining flange 23. Suitable means, not illustrated, are provided for at will igniting the charge carbon dioxide gas by dropping into it a measured or weighed charge of Dry Ice, after which the cylinder would be sealed by screwing into the cylinder the threaded plug I9. Other means of charging the cylinder may include the provision of a small tube in the bottom which could be sealed by heating to the fusion point and collapsing as is common practice in the manufacture of incandescent light bulbs.

The operation of aiming and firing the rocket follows that used prior to my invention, and the initial portion of the flight of the rocket is not modified.

Heat from the rocket propelling charge melts the fusible closure 26, thereby releasing the inert compressed gas in the cylinder [8. This gas quenches the remaining particles of hot ash and cools the shell 10 and nozzle ll below the ignition temperatures of gasoline or other inflammable gases likely to be encountered.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, changes may be made in the construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed herein.

WhatI claim is:

1. In a line projecting device the combination with a cylindrical propellent barrel having a restricted discharge outlet, a cylinder charged with inert gas within and at the forward end of said barrel, a charge of propellent powder in said barrel in the rear of said charged cylinder, a noninflammable leader operatively connected with said barrel, and a fusible closure sealing the rearward end of said charged cylinder.

2. In a line projecting rocket provided with a weighted head, a propellent barrel having a jet nozzle, a charge of propellent powder in said barrel, and two non-inflammable line connecting leaders operably connected with said barrel, the improvement which comprises an enclosed cylinder charged with inert gas within and at the forward end of said barrel and provided with a fusible seal adapted to fuse and release said gas charge when heated by the ignited propelling charge, whereby the hot products of combustion will be extinguished and cooled during the flight of the rocket.

JOSEFH JAMES DE CARLO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,210,820 Schermuly et a1 Aug. 6, 1940' 2,444,957 Skinner July 13, 1948 2,544,422 Goddard Mar. 6, 19 1 

